The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-08-03
A Whole Loaf or No Bread.


Judging from an article in the last num-
Der of the Paw Paw Herald, edited by Mrs.
L. II. Brown. it seems that some of the good
sisters of the w. G. L. u. are exceedingly
anxious to give warning in advance that they
will have nothing to do with what they are
pleased to term the "local option humbug."
IF advocating states rights in 1861 was
treason, would giving counties the right to
enact laws independent of the constitution
be any less so?" says the writer of the article
in question. AS no one proposes to give
counties the right to enact laws independ-
ent of the constitution" there is no need 10
answer such question. The treason" that
is to be found in local option does not rise
even to the dignity of q man of straw.
Let Brothers PARKHUBsT, CoPLEY, WooD-
MAN, ROWLAND and GLIDDEN circulate petit
tons" All right; those gentlemen all did
as faithful and honest work in the contest
for constitutional prohibition as did the
author of the Herdld article, and every one
of them is willing to DO the same for the
success of county local option, believing that,
even if they failed in their efforts to secure
prohibition in the entire state they will do a
good work if they can secure it in our own
county.
And then, if we had such law III this
county, who would enforce it?' We might
ask in return who would enforce constitu-
lol - 4
enforce itself any more than any other stat
ate. Indeed, the mere amendment of the
constitution, without legislation to make it
effective, would be nothing. Laws must be
enacted under such amendment, and such
laws must be enforced. otherwise the
amendment would be entirely imperative.
But we will answer the query according to
our best understanding of the matter. We
believe the local option law would be. yes.
we believe it will be enforced in this
county by the same means that all other
statutes are made operative: that is by the
people, the officers and the courts; and it
would have required these same agencies in
exactly the same manner to enforce any stat
ate that might have been enacted under con
stitutional prohibition. The people of our
own county, our own officers and our own
courts would have been the agencies and the
only agencies that could have been appealed
70 to enforce the law had we secured the
adoption OF the amendment, and such agen-
ces could have operated only in our own
county, just as they will under local option,
by the operation of which this county can
secure Just the same immunity from the traffic
within its borders as it could do under state
prohibition.
Less than two years ago, we used to hear
many of the same parties who are so much
opposed to local option in Michigan, de-
claiming on the success of prohibition in
Georgia, and they were right it is success
in that state. and such success has been
achieved under the very system that has
been inaugurated in Michigan-county local
option. 1t was wonderfully fine thing in
Georgia in the estimation of such consist
emily inconsistent temperance people as the
author of the Herald article. bat it is "hum-
bug" and treason" when found in our own
state.
There are but two classes of people who
are opposed to the local option law, and they
form the strangest and most paradoxical
combination imaginable; we mean those who
are avowedy in favor of the whiskey traffic
and those who are enlisted for life,' as the
Herald scribe puts it, for the everlasting
prohibition of the iniquitous business. We
have faith to believe that in spite of such an in
congruous combination, this year will close out
the traffic in Van Buren, county and many
other counties OF the state and that the day
is not far distant when il will become an
outlaw, not only in this county, but through
out the entire state and nation.
The TRUE NoRTHERNER did all il could to
secure the adoption of the prohibtory
amendment il will do all it can to secure
county prohibition and will at least while
under its present management, be ready at
all times to aid any effort that. in its judg
ment, will tend to the suppression and over
throw of the manufacture, sale and use of
intoxicating liquors as BEVERAGE but il will
not be so inconsistent as to refuse partial
prohibition because it cannot have probibi
ton full and complete.